1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cooking appliances and, more particularly, to a rotisserie cooking appliance that allows simultaneous preparation of primary and secondary food articles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rotisserie cooking units are generally known. Rotisserie cookers are used to cook food articles, such as, for example, chicken, roasts, fish, steaks, shish-kabob, etc. Rotisserie cookers are advantageous because they seal in the natural juices of the food articles while draining off unwanted fat.
Typically, rotisserie cooking units slowly rotate food articles above a heat source or heating element. The heating element is usually placed in the bottom of the cooker unit such that heat will rise to cook the food articles.
Also known in the art are rotisserie cooking units and methods whereby the food articles rotate about a vertical axis in close proximity to a heat source, usually of the resistive electric type, positioned laterally of the food articles to be cooked, or centrally along their axis of rotation. Such devices are disclosed, for example, in Wickenberg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,638, Geissman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,444, and Brown et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,366,750. U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,196 to Masel et al. discloses a grilling appliance that rotates food articles and includes a first heater comprising a vertical impaling member for heating the interior of a food article and a second heater located laterally of the vertical impaling member for heating the exterior of the food article.
Additionally, horizontal rotisserie cookers are known that include a griddle fixedly mounted to the top of an oven type cooker to cook secondary food articles. These oven units include two separate heating elements whereby one heating element is horizontally positioned at the bottom of the cooker and a second heating element is horizontally positioned in close proximity, such as by welding, to the griddle.
A disadvantage of those cooker units having a fixedly mounted griddle is that the griddle is not removable from the cooker, which makes the griddle difficult to clean and prevents the griddle from being readily removed for serving purposes. In addition, due to the location of the heating element in such close proximity to the griddle, it is difficult, if not impossible, to warm or heat food, but instead the heating element (typically the broiling element) fries or grills the food at a high temperature. Further, having more than one heating element disadvantageously increases cost of manufacture resulting in increased cost to the consumer, and may require the additional cost of an additional temperature control device.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to have a cooking appliance for rotisserie cooking which includes a removable heating convection assembly for preparation of food articles. It is another object of the present invention to provide a cooking appliance that provides for more uniform heating of secondary food articles.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cooking appliance which includes a means for cooking primary food articles and secondary food articles.
In accordance with the present invention, a rotisserie cooker unit is provided which comprises a cooking chamber having a vertically disposed roasting rack and a vertically disposed heating element, a control panel and a convection heating assembly. The heating element may be disposed against a wall of the chamber to provide a faster means to cook food placed in the convection heating assembly.
In one embodiment, a cooking appliance is disclosed that includes a cooking chamber configured for receipt of food articles and defining a cavity. A heating element is disposed within the cooking chamber. A convection heating assembly is included disposed remote from the heating element and having a receptacle removably supported within the cavity of the cooking chamber.
The cooking appliance includes a housing configured to enclose at least a portion of the cooking chamber. The housing has a first end and a second end. The first end defines a cavity configured to removably support the receptacle of the convection heating assembly. The housing also includes a lateral opening and a door pivotably mounted to the housing. The door is pivotal between an open position and a closed position closing the lateral opening. The housing may include sidewalls having vents defined therein.
The cooking appliance includes a base enclosure whereby the cooking chamber is fixedly mounted to the base enclosure. The heating element may be vertically disposed within the cooking chamber and fixedly mounted to the base enclosure. A cooking chamber illumination source (i.e. a light) may be disposed within the cooking chamber.
In an alternate embodiment, a rotisserie appliance is disclosed including a cooking chamber configured for receipt of food articles and defining a cavity. A heating element is disposed within the cooking chamber. A spit assembly is disposed within the cooking chamber for relative rotation thereto and support of the food articles. A convection heating assembly is included disposed remote from the heating element and having a receptacle removably supported within the cavity of the cooking chamber.
The spit assembly may include a substantially cylindrical spit tray support supported within the chamber. A spit tray is supported by the spit tray support for rotation relative to the cooking chamber. A spit is removably mounted to the tray and configured for penetration and support of the food articles. The rotisserie assembly may include a rotary driver cooperatively engaging the spit tray and actuating rotation thereof.
The rotisserie assembly may include a control unit disposed within the base enclosure and having a display mounted to an outer surface of the base enclosure. The control unit may include a temperature sensor disposed adjacent the cooking chamber for detecting temperature of the cooking chamber and providing a temperature signal indicative of a predetermined temperature. The control unit is operatively responsive to receiving the temperature signal and causing deactivation of the heating element. The control unit may also include circuitry responsive to the temperature signal provided by the temperature sensor for deactivating the heating element.
The control unit may further include a timer mounted within the base enclosure for detecting expiration of a predetermined time period. The timer provides a time signal indicative of the predetermined time period. The control unit is operatively responsive to receiving the time signal and causing deactivation of the heating element. The control unit may also include circuitry responsive to the time signal provided by the timer for deactivating the heating element.
In another alternate embodiment, a rotisserie appliance is disclosed including a spit assembly having engagement structure. The engagement structure of the spit assembly being operatively associated with the convection heating assembly to rotate the convection heating assembly.